Google's April Fools Prank

[Jazzy]

Search giant Google over the weekend played an April Fools' prank on Internet users, turning its Google Maps into a world of 8-bit pixels, similar to that of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), or Family Computer that was popular in the 1980s.



Users of Google Maps were greeted with a Start Your Quest box at the left side of the screen where users can view 8-bit landmarks, be a hero and explore the world, and find hidden monsters.



8-bit Quest Maps is our Beta Maps technology and has certain system requirements. Your system may not meet the minimum requirements for 8-bit computations, the message read.



But clicking on Try it now transports the user to a low-resolution, 8-bit world, with the controls mimicking those of the NES, popularly known in the Philippines as the Family Computer 30 years ago.



[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rznYifPHxDg[/media]



Source: http://www.gmanetwor...-bit-google-map

 

[DrLeftover]

Funny. Yes.



Gag? Not totally.



Oh, by the way... they've been doing this for a long time:



http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/darpa/

 

[Evil Eye]

I love how it also applies to street view.